Preliminary Warrant Readto Town Council This Week

Town Manager Kevin Smith told the Town Council on Monday night that the preliminary draft version of the March Town Warrant will include the following:

• Article 1, election of officers.

• Article 2, to see whether the town will vote to change the office of Town Clerk/Tax Collector to two separate positions. If approved, an article would be placed on the ballot at the next annual town meeting to elect a Town Clerk, and would change the Tax Collector from an elected position to an appointed position. The appointment would be made annually before April 1 by the governing body in writing, and would include the compensation to be paid.

If approved, the newly elected Town Clerk/Tax Collector would continue to serve until the next annual meeting, at which time the Tax Collector would be appointed.

Smith said the separation of the two positions would save the town approximately $110,000 annually, as the Town Clerk, who would be elected, would not be eligible for retirement and medical benefits and would maintain part-time hours.

• Article 3, to fund the Expendable Maintenance Trust for $100,000.

• Article 4, the town operating budget, which currently is proposed at $27,919,988. “If that is defeated, we go to the default budget, which is $28,086,186,” Smith said.